What did St Francis of Assisi say about animals?

St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and environment could be viewed as the original Earth Day advocate. Francis cared for the poor and sick, he preached sermons to animals and praised all creatures as brothers and sisters under God.

Why do we bless animals on St Francis Day?

In Honor of St. Francis Day, Priest Blesses Animals by Phone. Francis Day in honor of the Patron Saint of Animals, Saint Francis of Assisi. In remembrance of his love for all sentient beings, guardians sometimes take their animal companions to church for a Blessing of the Animals.

Why is St Francis depicted with birds?

Birds often symbolize spiritual freedom and growth, so some believers think that the miracle of the birds listening intently to Francis’ message was sent by God to encourage Francis and his fellow monks to continue their work preaching the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, which focuses on how people can become …

What animal is St Francis usually portrayed with?

bird
Francis told his companions to “wait for me while I go to preach to my sisters the birds.” The birds surrounded him, intrigued by the power of his voice, and not one of them flew away. He is often portrayed with a bird, typically in his hand.

What was St Francis of Assisi main message?

His life and message were uncompromising and simple: greed causes suffering for both the victims and the perpetrators. The indifference of the greedy and their hatred of the poor hurts the rich, too: St Francis believed living with that sort of attitude was morally, socially and spiritually destructive.

Is there a prayer to St Francis for animals?

Francis – Pray for Our Pets. You blessed us with all living creatures. Kindly bless my pet. May my pet continue giving me joy and remind me of Your power.

Is Blessing of the Animals biblical?

For the blessing of the animals, we use an animal-themed call to worship, with Scripture from Genesis 1:20-25 and Matthew 6:25-29. Those who have brought their pets bring them forward and we bless them with holy water, giving thanks to God for giving us our wonderful pets that we dearly love.

What saint is depicted holding a bird?

Francis of Assisi
Francis of Assisi. The Franciscan Order is named for St. Francis who was born in Europe in the 12th century. Many people are aware of statues and paintings of him holding a bird or being surrounded by birds and other animals.

Why is St Francis in the garden?

Francis of Assisi is a popular saint for nature-lovers, and gardens are often dedicated to him. His love of nature and all of God’s creatures was passionate, and he preached to sparrows and called a wolf “brother,” and when he died larks circled the house in which he lay.

Why is saint Francis of Assisi important?

Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in Roman Catholic history. He founded the Franciscan orders, including the Poor Clares and the lay Third Order. He and St. Catherine of Siena are the patron saints of Italy, and he is also the patron saint of ecology and of animals.